How fast can I go?

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illegalbrain

16 posts

Geek

Topic # 12016 23-Feb-2007 10:32

Hi,

One more question, then I'll stoop flooding the boards and get some sleep.

I am on xnet's lowest plan at the moment (256/128)

If I upgrade to xnet's HSI or whatever its called, how much faster can I expect my download speeds to be? i heard someone say they were getting 1.7Mbps, does this mean I would be getting nearly seven times my current speed?

One more related question, does the higher upload speed of the fastest HSI plan affect download speed in any way?

Thanks.

grant_k

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Reply # 61729 23-Feb-2007 11:03

illegalbrain: If I upgrade to xnet's HSI or whatever its called, how much faster can I expect my download speeds to be? i heard someone say they were getting 1.7Mbps, does this mean I would be getting nearly seven times my current speed?

We are using XNET Flood (the fastest plan). And we get 5.5Mbps using https://www.speedtest.net/ with the Auckland server.

illegalbrain: One more related question, does the higher upload speed of the fastest HSI plan affect download speed in any way?

Yes, it will, although not to the extent you might think. With XNET River (128kbps up) you can still expect 3 or 4Mbps download at the modem speed you are reporting (7616kbps I think it was).

Whereas with XNET Flood you will get probably 5.5 to 6.5Mbps depending on the server you are downloading from as well as internet congestion, the type of software you are using for downloads and a whole heap of other factors. The reason you get the highest speeds with this type of plan (Full-speed upstream) is because the Upstream Link is more than capable of keeping up with ACK packets required to support Downstream traffic.

Whereas with XNET River, you have only 128kbps Upstream which will limit how much Downstream traffic you can receive.

uncmil

48 posts

Geek

Reply # 62009 26-Feb-2007 16:05

illegalbrain:

If I upgrade to xnet's HSI or whatever its called, how much faster can I expect my download speeds to be? i heard someone say they were getting 1.7Mbps, does this mean I would be getting nearly seven times my current speed?

Yes, probably . You said you were getting 7616 I think which is a theoretical maximum of 7.6 mbps. But that is limited by Telecom's network, the server you are downloading from, etc, etc.

I for example get 5606kbps connection rate - which is 5.6 Mbps.

illegalbrain:
One more related question, does the higher upload speed of the fastest HSI plan affect download speed in any way?

Like Grant said, yes. TCP/IP uses acknowledgment packets, which require upstream to work (so faster is better).

Overall, yes - upgrading is a good idea if you can afford it.

raytaylor

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Reply # 62055 26-Feb-2007 21:47

From a technical point, when you are uploading over a dsl connection, it does impact on the download speed quite a bit, only when you have traffic going both ways at the same time.

Also your friend may get 1.7mbps from a local server, but it does vary quite a bit. I may get 1.7mb while downloading one file from one server, and at a different time of the day or from a different source location, it will change.

I have learned that I have a 'fast' connection, I cant rate it because speed varies all the time, and I am happy if I can download a file at anything faster than 50kB/sec.

Ray Taylor
Taylor Broadband (rural hawkes bay)
www.ruralkiwi.com

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